Gondolas

Pages for Venice book.
(Click images to enlarge)

12x24 LO:








12x12 details of left and right pages:

Campanile Views

Another set of pages for the Venice book.
(Click images to enlarge)

12x24 LO:








12x12 detail of left and right pages:

Bellini's @ the Rialto

I've decided to create a book to capture our trip to Venice.
My plan is to create the layouts, and then have them printed up into a book.
Here is the first LO of the trip.
(Click images to enlarge).

Here is the 12x24 LO:








Detail of the 12x12 left and right pages:

Read Book

These pics are from an October visit.
Click on images to enlarge.

Here is the 12x24 LO:








Details of the 12x12 left and right pages:













Digital paper and alpha downloaded from Shabby Princess (Moody Blues)

Christmas Day @ Great Brook

Here is a layout I created this morning.
(Click on images to enlarge)

I love how this turned out, especially like the color scheme.
First I created a 12x24 page:








and then cropped it into two 12x12 for the left and right pages:













All digital downloads from 2peasinabucket.com.
Background paper = papier dreams by Rhonna Farrer.

Xmas Pics

I have the cutest nieces and nephews!
(Click to enlarge)

Current Fave Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4

Video Description

Sometimes, a hug is all what we need. Free hugs is a real life controversial story of Juan Mann, A man whos sole mission was to reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives.

In this age of social disconnectivity and lack of human contact, the effects of the Free Hugs campaign became phenomenal.

As this symbol of human hope spread accross the city, police and officials ordered the Free Hugs campaign BANNED. What we then witness is the true spirit of humanity come together in what can only be described as awe inspiring.

Bombay Club

My book club met at Bombay Club in Harvard Square for brunch and to discuss the book, “The Battle for Christmas” by Stephen Nissenbaum.

We discussed the idea of tradition – and how many of them do not go back for more than several generations, and how the term “tradition” adds weight to a practice. It’s always interesting to hear how other families celebrate the holidays. What we keep and what we discard.

My personal opinion is that Christmas (and most other holidays for that matter), have become too commercialized. Not necessarily more so than in the past – no judgment intended. I simply wonder what all that bought stuff (mostly made in China) is covering up. I do not see people smiling as they shop. There is a desperate, angry, tense air to the entire holiday season.

Most people seem to be really upset about having to buy presents – so why do it? Why not do something that feels better and creates a deeper connection? It is tough to swim against the mainstream currents.

2007 Book Club Selections

My book club voted on the books we'll read next year, and this is our final list:

Jan: "Madame Bovary" by Gustave Flaubert
Feb: "I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman" by Nora Ephron
March: "Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers" by Elizabeth Edwards
April: "Margaret Mead Made Me Gay: Personal Essays, Public Ideas" by Esther Newton
May: "Pomegranate Soup" by Marsha Mehran
June: "Specimen Days" by Michael Cunningham
July: "Innocent Man" by John Grisham
Aug: "The Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Desai
Sept: "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Oct: "Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality" by Anne Fausto-Sterling
Nov: "Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness" by William Styron
Dec: "Thoughts Without A Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective" by Mark Epstein

The DaVinci Code

I really liked the Dan Brown book and was thrilled to hear that Ron Howard was going to direct the movie version. However, the movie reviews were so bad that I opted to wait for the DVD.

Saw it this past weekend, and was really disappointed. Howard follows the story almost page by page – it worked for the book, but the movie needed serious editing. Characters like Silas did not really add any value to the movie – other than to show the murders. Tom Hanks, who I generally like, was like a cardboard cutout. I had heard interviews with both Hanks and Howard a year ago and there seemed to be a lot of nervousness – why? Because the story is about religion and faith?

Great casting, great director, great story – so how did it go so wrong?

Venice

We had an amazing trip to Venice. Beautiful and magical place.
(Click on pics to enlarge).











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